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From the spectacular to the surreal, The Times’s chief sports photographer brings you his unique view of the Winter Olympics in Sochi

There is one picture I have always wanted the opportunity to take at a Winter
Olympics and it finally came off. I got it by putting a remote camera - one
that is fired from afar - on the catwalk high above the ice at the Shayba
Arena.

It took me about eight days and I had to jump through Olympic-sized hoops laid
out by the Russian authorities with e-mail requests, followed by a detailed
application form and then my UK Passport having to be treble-checked. My
camera equipment also had to meet the stringent safety requirements. I
failed on two occassions,

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A shot from on high as Germany's women beat Japan in their seventh-place play-off

February 19 2014 Times photographer Marc Aspland

A shot from on high as Germany's women beat Japan in their seventh-place play-off

February 19 2014 Times photographer Marc Aspland

Seiler scored the decisive goal, captured by Aspland's camera, from its lofty perch

February 19 2014 Times photographer Marc Aspland

A hoist view shows Germany celebrating their 3-2 win in a swarm of yellow and black

February 19 2014 Times photographer Marc Aspland

Aspland's more conventional picture shows the impact of using his camera's unusual perch

February 19 2014 Times photographe Marc Aspland

Even more stunning looking down, Harper made a superb blocking save

February 19 2014 Times photographer, Marc Aspland

View from above, Harss looked to inspire her Germany team-mates

February 19 2014 Times photographer Marc Aspland

From above you can see the intensity with which the Japanese were looking to play

February 19 2014 Times photographer, Marc Aspland

The vibrant colour and shape help to bring out the pre-match tension

February 19 2014 Times photographer Marc Aspland

Here is the venue manager Aspland had to convince to let him take these stunning pictures

February 19 2014 Times photographer Marc Aspland

This is where Aspland's camera had to be clamped down to get these pictures

February 19 2014 Times photographer, Marc Aspland

It was only from this vantage point that the ice could be captured in such spectacular fashion